Akatsuki No Yona: Wives for Generals and Lords
by YenGirl
Summary: Lady Iguni was not pleased. Both her sons were nobles, of marriageable age and good men. Yet they were still single and as pure as any cloistered maiden. What was a mother to do?
1. Chapter 1

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! Having paired up quite a few characters, I decided I couldn't let two bachelor brothers remain lonely and single. And since I prefer canon characters to OCs, how lucky for them - and me - that there were also two ladies just as single and available! Enjoy :)

**Warnings:** This is a sister story to **Proof of Love** and takes place just after Chapter 9 so warnings for spoilers if you've not read that yet. As always, no character bashing.

**Rating:** T

**Disclaimer:** Akatsuki No Yona belongs to Mizuho Kusanagi.

\- Story Start -

Lady Iguni was _not_ pleased.

Both her sons were nobles, of marriageable age (way past that, to be honest) and good men. Yet they were still single and - unless she was greatly mistaken, and she almost never was - as pure as any cloistered maiden.

Kyo-Ga, her eldest, was twenty nine. He was a well read scholar, an excellent General and, after meeting King Soo-Won and visiting their poorer villages, determined to improve himself further.

Tae-Jun, her younger, was twenty four. He was also well read and, after being ordered to one of their poorer villages, determined to help those less fortunate than him.

Yet both were still single and as far as she knew, marriage remained a far blip on their horizons, if not missing entirely.

_Why?_

What had she done wrong, or not done at all?

And what was to be done about them now?

None of the court ladies here at Saika Castle had caught their eyes!

Kyo-Ga only wanted to prove himself as the new Fire Tribe General, and to make the King and his people proud.

Tae-Jun only had eyes for Princess Yona, who alas, was King Soo-Won's bride-to-be and Queen of Kouka Kingdom.

It was enough to drive a mother up the wall!

Iguni preferred not to meddle in the affairs of others, but she had had _enough. _Heaven knew that if she continued to leave it up to Fate, her sons would die single men while she would die grandchildren-less.

She wouldn't force matrimony on them, of course. Hers had been an arranged marriage to a stern and arrogant man and she had suffered in silence for thirty years before Kan Soo-Jin died a traitor to Kouka Kingdom.

She would make sure her sons married for love, something she had never experienced in her own marriage. They just needed a push in the right direction. And if that meant widening her search beyond the Fire Tribe for prospective daughters-in-law then so be it.

\- o -

Iguni was never what one would call a social butterfly. After her marriage, she preferred to stay at Saika Castle. She was even less keen to show her face after her late husband's failed _coup d'etat _which had brought shame to the Fire Tribe.

Attending King Soo-Won and Princess Yona's wedding would be akin to rubbing salt in an open wound, seeing as the King was only eighteen while her own sons were much older. Still, she knew that both of them would attend; Kyo-Ga as it was expected of him, and Tae-Jun to make Princess Yona happy.

No one would think any less of their mother if she didn't accompany them, but she couldn't pass up this rare opportunity to look for suitable brides.

\- o -

The Fire Tribe group, like the other tribes, arrived at Kuuto City the day before the wedding. The weather was a welcome change from Saika's hotter and drier climate.

As soon as they were settled in their suite of rooms at Hiryuu Castle, Kyo-Ga excused himself to do some reading in the library. He promised to join them at tonight's dinner. Iguni thought she would have to spend the afternoon with her maids, but luckily Tae-Jun took them for a tour of Kuuto City.

It was crowded, to say the least, with people from all five tribes visiting. The streets were awash with decorations for tomorrow's wedding, and that seemed to be the sole topic on everyone's lips.

The atmosphere was lively and festive with stalls set up at every corner, but Tae-Jun soon saw that his mother looked a bit overwhelmed by the crowd and noise. He recalled her preference for peace and solitude and quickly led her to a row of tea shops, entering the one furthest from the main street.

The interior of the tea shop was cool and quiet, with only one or two tables occupied. Iguni breathed a sigh of relief as the proprietor bowed them to a table in the corner and took their order for tea, a plate of _dango_ and another of _mochi._

"My apologies, mother," Tae-Jun apologised. "I should have realised the city would be crowded today on account of the King's wedding tomorrow."

Iguni lowered her fan to smile at her son.

"Well, I haven't seen Kuuto City for many years. It has changed quite a lot."

When their refreshments arrived, one of her maids poured the tea while Tae-Jun pushed the plate of mochi closer to his mother.

"Please try one," he said. "This row of tea shops is famous for their sweets."

\- o -

After a few minutes, a tall well built man entered the tea shop and looked around as if expecting to meet someone.

"That's General Han Joo-Doh," Tae-Jun said in surprise.

Joo-Doh saw him and came over.

"Lord Kan Tae-Jun, isn't it?"

They bowed to each other and Joo-Doh bowed again when Tae-Jun introduced his mother.

"You must be here for tomorrow's wedding," Joo-Doh commented.

"Yes, we are."

"Joo-Doh, so sorry we're late! We had to fight our way through the crowds!"

Everyone turned to see three pretty ladies hurrying inside the tea shop. The one who spoke was a beautiful girl with long black hair and large eyes.

"Ah. Excuse me, Lady Iguni, Lord Tae-Jun. Enjoy your tea." Joo-Doh gave a quick bow before going to the newcomers, his face lighting up with a broad smile.

\- o -

Hidden behind her fan, Iguni's lips turned down as General Joo-Doh clasped the pretty girl's hands and kissed her cheek before sitting down at another table. She would have thought the other two girls were maids, but the swords strapped to their sides proclaimed them as bodyguards.

Which meant the first girl was a nobleman's daughter.

And a dour looking man with a scar on his cheek had managed to win her heart, judging from her happy smiles and how close they were sitting, while her own two good looking sons were still single!

"Milady, you have been staring at that table for five minutes now," one of her maids chided her.

"Glaring, more like," said the other maid with a fond smile.

Iguni blinked and quickly looked away.

"Do you know them, Tae-Jun?" She asked.

"Not very well. General Joo-Doh commands the Sky Tribe army," Tae-Jun replied, glancing at them. "I believe that is Lady An Lili, daughter of the Water Tribe General An Joon-Gi, and her bodyguards."

"I see. Are they married?"

Tae-Jun shook his head.

"Not yet. Princess Yona told me they were engaged just last week."

As always, his voice softened when he mentioned her name and Iguni sighed to herself. Taking another sip of tea, she glanced at the other table again. Those two bodyguards were quite pretty, one with straight black hair and a serious face, and the other with wavy light brown hair and a ready smile. They couldn't possibly be noble born, but...

"Are they all staying at Hiryuu Castle for the wedding?" She asked in a casual tone.

Tae-Jun nodded, munching on a dango.

"Yes, of course. General Joo-Doh already lives there and Lady Lili is a good friend of King Soo-Won and Princess Yona."

Iguni nibbled at a mochi and wondered if she could get Tae-Jun to introduce her to Lady Lili. Unfortunately, the lady in question stood up abruptly and the whole group exited the tea shop as soon as their bill had been paid.

Iguni caught the words 'crowd' and 'headache' as they left. With another sigh, she left the rest of her mochi uneaten. An Lili wasn't the only one feeling unwell.

\- o -

When they returned to Hiryuu Castle, Iguni didn't see Lili or her bodyguards among the guests and concluded they had gone back to their rooms to rest before dinner. She decided to do the same with her maids as none of them were used to traveling so far. Tae-Jun had excused himself to go back to the city on an errand while Kyo-Ga hadn't returned from the library.

Lili had indeed gone back to her room to sleep off the headache she had gotten courtesy of the crowds thronging Kuuto City. As a result, Ayura and Tetora found themselves with a few hours to spare until dinner time.

Having had enough of crowded places and wedding chatter, Ayura decided to visit Hiryuu Castle's famous library. Tetora was about to join her when she realised she had forgotten to pack her cosmetics and decided to brave the crowds yet again to get new ones.

\- Chapter End -

**A/N:** Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review before you go :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! Enjoy the next chapter :)

\- Chapter Start -

General Kan Kyo-Ga's eyes snapped up the moment he heard someone pull open one of the heavy doors. He had keen hearing, and even deeply immersed in Advanced Battle Tactics Volume Four, he still prided himself on being aware of his surroundings.

He had seated himself in a corner of the huge library, half hidden by shelves, yet still able to watch the doors. He wasn't the only one here of course. The young boy Yoon - supposedly a better cook than the chefs at Saika Castle - was already sitting at the medical books section when he came in. To Kyo-Ga's relief, Yoon was too interested in his reading to offer more than a polite nod of his head.

Kyo-Ga's eyes narrowed a bit when he saw that the newcomer was a young woman. His first hope was that she had come here by mistake and would leave right away. Then he chastised himself for that uncharitable thought - it wasn't his library after all. His second hope was that she had come alone and would sit as far away from him as possible.

She looked around and rather to his surprise, noticed him almost at once. Kyo-Ga had a brief impression of large dark eyes set in a pretty face as she gave him a little bow and walked the other way towards Yoon. The sword at her side meant she was a bodyguard.

He spared a moment to wonder who had hired her before going back to his book, relieved that his solitude wouldn't be disturbed.

A few minutes later, he looked up to find her standing on tiptoes two shelves away, trying to reach for a book on the highest row. Despite a flash of annoyance, he stood up and went over, plucking the book off the shelf and handing it to her. She had already seen him sitting there after all.

"Thank you, General," she said solemnly.

And she also knew who he was.

"You're welcome," he replied.

She nodded and went off while he was still deciding if he should ask who she was. But it might lead to casual conversation and he... wasn't good at that. Besides, he had come here to improve his knowledge. Returning to his seat, he continued reading, his gaze flicking up after every second page.

Almost half an hour went by before he heard her light footsteps again, muffled by the thick carpeting. He looked up to see her craning her neck at the same shelf, scanning the books there.

This time, Kyo-Ga found himself going over to her before he even realised what he was doing. But it was only to help her return to her seat faster, of course.

"May I be of assistance?"

"Oh." She looked up at him, dark eyes widening a bit in surprise. "Thank you, but I was going to get a chair."

"It's no trouble at all," he assured her and was disconcerted to find it wasn't wholly a lie.

This time, she gave a small smile.

"I wouldn't want to waste the Fire Tribe General's precious time," she replied.

Kyo-Ga nodded in acknowledgement and suffered another disconcerting moment when his mind went inconveniently blank.

"... book with the dark blue cover?"

Blinking, he looked up at the shelf.

"Ah. Of course." He took down the book and glanced at the title.

"A Comparison of the Five Tribes Martial Arts Styles," he read aloud.

"It's not often I get the chance to read," she admitted and raised an eyebrow when he continued to stare at her. "Is that so surprising?"

The defensive note in her voice, barely hidden, made Kyo-Ga shake his head.

"No, not at all."

Appeased, her expression softened and she glanced around with a small, wistful smile.

"Whenever Lady Lili stayed here, I would visit this library as often as I could. It has more books than I have ever imagined, and His Majesty is a generous man. He doesn't mind me coming here even if-"

She broke off and snapped her mouth shut. A part of Kyo-Ga's mind filed away the bit about her being An Lili's bodyguard, but he was more curious to know what she had almost said.

"Even if?" He prompted.

She shrugged, her face becoming a blank mask once more.

"Not everyone is as open minded as His Majesty," she said and bowed. "My apologies for having disturbed your reading."

She turned on her heel while Kyo-Ga pressed his lips together, torn between his earlier wish for solitude and his curiosity to know who that closed minded person was. He ignored the bit that wanted to see her smile again.

"Please wait."

She stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"Since this section interests you, why not sit here? You won't have to keep walking over to get a new book."

"It's alright. I only have two hours to spare so it doesn't matter where I sit."

"You can read quite a bit in that time," he argued although he wasn't sure why he bothered.

She turned around and smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"You looked like you didn't want to be disturbed," she explained with a glance at his table. "Otherwise you wouldn't have barricaded yourself behind those books."

Startled, he looked at the towers of books he had created and scowled.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," she apologised, perhaps fearing he had taken offence at her words.

And truth be told, he would have.

At another place.

At another time.

With another person.

"Don't apologise," he said. "I... I'm not one for making small talk."

"Neither am I," she said and turned away again.

"But I have advanced knowledge of the Fire Tribe martial arts," he added quickly. "And... er... no one to discuss them with as my foolish younger brother is more interested in agriculture nowadays."

She looked over her shoulder at him, eyebrow raised again.

"Is that an invitation to enter your fortress of books, General?"

He pressed his lips together, unused to being teased like this. But it would be churlish of him to withdraw his invitation now, nor would it do his reputation any good if King Soo-Won got to hear about this.

There was a tiny gleam in her dark eyes as she watched him, as if she was aware of his thoughts.

"It is if you would tell me your name," he said at last.

"Ayura."

"Ayura," he repeated and nodded. "I like it."

The words rolled off his tongue before he could bite them back.

She looked surprised and then she smiled, a real one which reached her dark eyes.

"Thank you. Lead the way, General."

\- o -

By the end of that afternoon, they had leafed through a few more books and talked quite a bit - to Yoon's surprise and mild annoyance - but the Advanced Battle Tactics book remained closed and pushed to one side.

Kyo-Ga was surprised when Ayura closed her book and stood up.

"Please excuse me, " she said. "I need to get back to Lady Lili."

Kyo-Ga glanced at the ornate clock on the wall, surprised to find it was almost five in the evening. He stood up as well, strangely reluctant to see her go.

"You can stay a while more," she said with her customary frankness. "It shouldn't take you long to get ready for the dinner. Besides, I've taken up enough of your time as it is."

He stared at her. Yoon had already left, but the unexpected prospect of having the library all to himself for another hour didn't seem as appealing as before.

"I should get ready for the dinner too, " he said. She seemed a bit surprised by that, but just bowed.

"Thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge with me, General."

"You're welcome. I will see you later."

"Perhaps," she said. She didn't smile this time. Then she was gone before Kyo-Ga could ask what she meant by that.

\- Chapter End -

**A/N:** Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review before you go :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! Enjoy the next chapter :)

\- Chapter Start -

Tae-Jun walked along the front veranda of Hiryuu Castle, a slump to his shoulders and a frown between his eyebrows. He paid just enough attention to not bump into the servants bustling to and fro with last minute arrangements and decorations, or the excited guests milling about.

Everywhere he looked and everything he heard was about tomorrow's wedding of Princess Yona to King Soo-Won.

It was depressing.

Tae-Jun had brought his mother and her maids back to their room to rest, but didn't feel like doing the same. No doubt Kyo-Ga was still at the library, diligently stuffing his brain with even more knowledge than it already held.

Well, good for him.

Stepping to one side to avoid a servant carrying a large urn of flowers, and spying a few familiar faces behind him, Tae-Jun decided he wasn't in the mood for company right now. He headed for one of the outside staircases, going up to the topmost floor and rounding the corner, only to stop abruptly.

There on the sunlit balcony stood the newly appointed Grand General Son Hak, arms resting on the stone railing and fingers clasped as he looked out at Kuuto City.

Tae-Jun took a quick step backward.

"You needn't go on my account, Lord Tae-Jun." Hak glanced sideways at him. "This balcony is long enough for both of us to enjoy the view."

Tae-Jun hesitated before approaching him.

"Avoiding the crowd downstairs?" He couldn't help asking.

"Yep, just like you," Hak replied, lips quirking in a wry half smile.

Tae-Jun shrugged and stopped a few feet away. The balcony was sunny, but a cool breeze blew away most of the heat, ruffling their hair and robes. They stood there for a minute or two, with Hak looking like he didn't have a care in the world, and Tae-Jun sneaking exasperated glances at him.

It was annoying!

How could Hak - _Hak_, of all people! - look so calm and at ease, as if everything was fine, as if his world wasn't crashing in flames like Tae-Jun's was...

"Why are you so calm?" He burst out at last. "How can you even smile?!"

Hak just turned his head, one dark eyebrow going up.

"I can't smile?" He sounded puzzled. "So I should cry? Like you are?"

Tae-Jun glared at him, hands fisted by his sides. Just because his eyes were stinging and his vision getting blurry, it didn't mean that-

"I am NOT crying! But Princess Yona is getting married tomorrow and it's not to you!"

If he intended to rub salt in the wound, it didn't work.

"The Princess is free to marry whoever she wants," Hak said with a careless shrug. He sounded bored. Indifferent. Uncaring.

"But you love her!"

"Hush! Do you want to get into trouble?" Hak looked mildly disapproving.

Tae-Jun quickly glanced behind him before taking a step closer.

"You love her!" He repeated in a stage whisper. "Don't you?"

"Of course."

"And Princess Yona loves you. I know she does. I... I've accepted that."

"That's very generous of you." Hak straightened up and turned to face him, the amused gleam in his eyes both unmistakable and unbearable.

"Then why?!" Tae-Jun felt like tearing his hair out only to blink when a large hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed once.

"You're a good friend, Lord Tae-Jun," Hak said solemnly. "And you will know one day that things are never as clear cut as they seem."

Without waiting for a reply, he nodded and brushed past him. Tae-Jun spun around to see him strolling away as if all the burdens and anger he had carried over the past year had just... vanished.

Feeling utterly miserable, Tae-Jun looked out at the view. Now that he was alone, he dared to rub at his moist eyes. He didn't want to stay here right now. He had promised Princess Yona he would attend her wedding and he would, even if it killed him.

But to stay here now, to be reminded of tomorrow's occasion wherever he looked...

No. He couldn't.

\- o -

And of course, it was a case of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Kuuto City was even more crowded than it had been an hour ago, and everywhere he looked and everything he heard was _still_ about tomorrow's wedding!

Tae-Jun walked the streets with the same slumped posture and the addition of a little black cloud of gloom above his head. He ignored the press of warm, sweaty bodies and loud voices all around him, not even sure of where he was going.

Until there was a startled cry and someone half fell against his side. It wasn't a heavy person and he moved on instinct, hand closing around a slender arm to steady whoever it was. Then he looked down and encountered two large brown eyes staring up at him.

The eyes blinked and then their owner, a pretty girl with long wavy light brown hair straightened up.

"Please accept my apologies," Tae-Jun said at once. Experience had taught him that an apology - whether needed or not - went a long way towards defusing any situation. It was something his old self wouldn't have understood at all.

To his relief, the girl gave a small laugh.

"Why are you apologising? I was the one who fell against you."

Tae-Jun blinked.

"Oh. Well... are you alright?"

She nodded, still smiling.

"Don't worry! It'll take more than a push like that to do me harm."

"Really?" Tae-Jun doubted that, she was slender and feminine. Then again, so was Princess Yona and she was far from a helpless damsel.

Then he and the girl both did a double take at the same time.

"You're Lord Kan Tae-Jun, aren't you?"

"Yes, and you're one of Lady Lili's bodyguards. We were at that same tea shop earlier."

"That's right. I'm Tetora. Oh!" She stumbled into him again as two women, laden with packages, brushed past her, not even looking back to apologise.

"Ouch," she muttered with a wince, one hand going to her back. "Now _that_ one I felt."

"Are you alright?" Tae-Jun asked again. Had she injured her back before?

"Yes, but neither of us will be if we continue to stand here much longer. It's getting more crowded."

In silent agreement, they moved to a small space between two stalls. Tetora looked around, her eyes narrowing.

"I hope you're keeping an eye on your purse, My Lord," she said. "There are sure to be pickpockets in a crowd like this one."

Startled, Tae-Jun slipped a hand inside his robe pocket, eyes widening in shock when his fingers encountered nothing. He started searching all his pockets before turning a rather stunned look on her.

"My money pouch - it's gone!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

She sighed and patted his arm.

"I doubt you'll be able to find the thief now since you don't know when it happened. Were you carrying a lot?"

Tae-Jun shook his head.

"Luckily only a few hundred _ling_, but still!"

Tetora's eyes widened at the casual way he said that.

"Did you want to buy something?" She asked.

"No. I accompanied my mother back to the castle, but didn't feel like staying so I thought I'd" - Brood? Sulk? Pout? - "go for a walk," he said firmly.

Tetora waved a hand at the crowd.

"In _this_?"

He hunched a shoulder, scowling when she giggled before sobering up.

"I'm sorry for laughing, My Lord," she said in a contrite tone. "I came back here to get a few things, but we can have a cup of tea first."

"Eh?" He blinked at her. "T-tea?"

She pressed two fingertips to her mouth and shook her head.

"Ayura is always telling me I shouldn't be so forward," she muttered. "But I think I'll be quite safe with you."

Tae-Jun sniffed and drew himself up to his full height of five feet nine inches.

"And why is that?"

She looked at him, but didn't reply at once. The look in her eyes said it wasn't because she didn't know what to say, but was wondering how to phrase it.

"Because you're not the type of person to take advantage of others," she finally said.

He deflated.

"Not surprising, is it?" He mumbled. "I've even let myself be robbed."

She laughed at that and patted his arm again.

"Don't feel too sorry for yourself. Here, let me buy you a cup of tea as a thank you for saving me from that fall earlier."

"But you said it would take more than that to-"

"Did I? Never mind, let's go."

Tae-Jun gave her a half-hearted glare as she grabbed his arm and led him down the street to the row of tea shops. They went inside the same one as before. There were more customers sitting there now, but the owner led them to a small table in the corner.

Tetora seemed to be the chattier of Lili's two bodyguards, a fact she confirmed herself. The next two hours flew by and before Tae-Jun knew it, it was five in the evening. The streets weren't as crowded as before as most of the people had returned to their homes or inns, either to prepare dinner or to rest.

Tae-Jun accompanied Tetora to buy the cosmetics she had forgotten to bring with her. He didn't know why she needed them, but she just laughed and thanked him before paying for her purchases.

He didn't even realise that the little cloud of doom above his head had vanished for now.

\- Chapter End -

**A/N:** Thank you for reading! Please leave a review before you go :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! Here's the next chapter. You also get a glimpse of the pre-wedding dinner mentioned in Proof of Love Chapter 10 :)

\- Chapter Start -

As the day drew to a close, the sun began to set, painting the blue sky with hues of light blue, aqua, purple, pink and gold. Those who were still outdoors couldn't help but take a few moments to admire the magnificent sunset before continuing with what they were doing.

The group of people crowded inside the main hall of Hiryuu Castle didn't give it more than a passing glance from the large open windows. They were more interested in waiting for the ornate double doors of the formal dining room to open, and to greet and congratulate the royal couple on their upcoming nuptials.

Every notable family from all five tribes as well as neighbouring Xing and Southern Kai kingdoms were present. The atmosphere was heavy with excitement as those who knew each other gathered in little groups to chat. A few soldiers were stationed along the walls, but the atmosphere remained peaceful. Even Ying Kuelbo and his wife, Lady Yoo-Lan were treated cordially after he signed a peace treaty with Kouka.

Iguni, much refreshed after her nap and bath, was dressed in the formal robes her maids had packed, her hair done up with care. She stood to one side with her fan covering the lower part of her face. It was disconcerting to realise she didn't recognise anyone here, having kept largely to herself after her marriage.

Once upon a time, she had been friends with Lady Kashi, Princess Yona's mother, and she had also met General An Joon-Gi's wife. Sadly, both were no longer around.

Ignoring her maids' excited chatter as they craned their necks and pointed out the newly crowned Queen Kouren from Xing and her sister Princess Tao, both with their respective husbands, Iguni looked for the Water Tribe group and found them standing on the other side of the room. Lady Lili too looked refreshed, accompanied by her father, her fiance and her two bodyguards.

Iguni noted the latter two had changed outfits although they still carried their swords. Wondering how to approach them, she didn't realise that both her sons, standing beside her, were also looking in the same direction.

After a few minutes, a side door opened and five young men entered, all of them striking in appearance. Iguni recognised them as the four Dragon Warriors and Yoon, whom she had met and given refuge to at Saika Castle last month. The White and Blue Dragons were reserved, content to smile at the others, but the Green and Yellow Dragons started circulating the room, charming everyone with their ready smiles and friendly remarks.

Another few minutes passed before the same door opened again. Advisor Kye-Sook and Min-Soo entered the room and bowed, causing a lull in the chatter.

"Our warmest greetings to all our distinguished guests," Kye-Sook began. "On behalf of Their Majesties King Soo-Won and Princess Yona, we welcome you to Hiryuu Castle. Dinner will be ready very soon. May I ask for all attendants and bodyguards to please step over here? My apologies for separating you from your masters and mistresses, but you will be dining next door as the formal dining room has limited seating. Please follow Min-Soo, King Soo-Won's personal attendant."

Min-Soo smiled and bowed again.

Iguni's worried maids fussed over her until she sighed and promised not to stare at the other guests to the extent of forgetting to eat. Her gaze once again traveled to the Water Tribe group again where Lili's bodyguards waved cheerfully at their mistress before following the waiting Min-Soo. Lili didn't look too upset with her hand nestled in the crook of General Joo-Doh's arm.

Biting her lip, Iguni resigned herself to having missed another chance of meeting her. Again, she didn't notice that both her sons were looking at the stream of attendants and bodyguards exiting the room.

As soon as that door closed, Advisor Kye-Sook crossed the hall to open the double doors. King Soo-Won stood there, flanked by Princess Yona and Grand General Son Hak, all of them looking resplendent in formal robes.

Applause rose from the guests as they surged forward. Flanked by her sons, one very serious and the other a bit flustered, Iguni went to join the swiftly forming queue to await her turn to greet the royal couple.

\- o -

King Soo-Won was young but a charming and gracious host. He clasped Iguni's hand with both of his, bade her a warm welcome to Hiryuu Castle and made no mention of Kan Soo-Jin, her late husband turned traitor. Princess Yona greeted her with a wide smile and hug, assured her that her maids would be well taken care of, and hoped she had a good rest after her journey.

Iguni knew she wasn't the only one curious as to why Princess Yona consented to marry the King - she was sure she and Hak were in love - but Hak who greeted her next didn't look heartbroken at all.

It was puzzling.

The long dining table which seated twenty people was covered with a richly embroidered cloth and decorated with flowers and exquisite chinaware. After everyone had sat down, there was a round of introductions. Iguni had wondered if she might be ostracised once her name and title were disclosed - even though many had to have already guessed her identity with her sitting beside her sons. To her relief, she was greeted with politeness.

The food was well prepared and delicious, the attendants attentive and polite. Iguni enjoyed herself more than she expected to, conversing with her sons and Gi-Gan, a no nonsense lady from Awa Port who sat opposite her. It was quite amusing to see the Green Dragon trying to flirt with Gi-Gan despite being told off more than once.

The next couple of hours flew by and before Iguni knew it, the last dish had been served and consumed. King Soo-Won brought the dinner to a close by standing up and thanking everyone again for their presence and gifts. He announced that those who wished to rest were welcome to retire to their rooms, but there would also be a fireworks display and dance performances later on.

Iguni exited the dining room with her sons only to spy Lili walking out the main doors with Joo-Doh, no doubt to go for a romantic walk in the front garden. Her two bodyguards weren't with them.

"Milady, there you are!"

As her maids hurried over to her, Kyo-Ga and Tae-Jun both excused themselves and left.

"Milady, did you eat enough?"

"Wasn't the food excellent? They treated us like royalty!"

Listening to her maids' excited chatter, Iguni decided that she too, would like to see the garden for herself. It was too early to retire to her room anyway.

\- o -

Hiryuu Castle's garden was brightly lit and well tended to. Several guests were already wondering around the paths. Iguni took her time to look over the flower bushes and made a note to ask someone if she could bring a cutting or two back with her to grow in her own garden.

She exchanged nods of greetings with the other guests and even conversed with a few of them.

One was petite Princess Tao of Xing who walked hand in hand with her new husband Vold. She told Iguni that with so much to handle back home, this visit was their honeymoon, as well as Queen Kouren and General Neguro's. Vold agreed and said the other three Stars of Xing were back in Xing, only to look startled when a cat suddenly appeared beside him and meowed.

Iguni also chatted with Lady Yoo-Lan who turned out to be not aloof, but very shy. Listening closely to her soft voice, Iguni didn't see if her sons were also walking around the garden or had gone somewhere else.

\- o -

General Kyo-Ga was somewhat disappointed although he would never admit it upon pain of death.

He had left the library just ten minutes after Ayura did. The silence felt stifling instead of peaceful and he found himself unable to focus on reading. He had gone back to his room to have a bath and get ready for the dinner. He had even put extra effort into dressing, telling himself he had to make a good impression as the new General of the Fire Tribe.

As soon as he accompanied his mother and brother inside the main hall, he found himself scanning the crowd for Ayura. It was easy - he only had to look for General Joo-Doh since he was Lady Lili's fiance. Ayura stood nearby with another female who had to be Tetora, the other bodyguard. Ayura had changed into a purple outfit that accentuated her pale skin and slender figure, but she wasn't wearing any jewellery or make up, unlike Tetora.

She looked very nice though. Kyo-Ga found himself strangely tempted to march over there, but restrained himself. There were just too many people present.

When Advisor Kye-Sook came in and made his announcement, Kyo-Ga couldn't help glaring at him. He hadn't seen the formal dining room and assumed everyone would be dining together.

Now that dinner was over and his mother with her maids, he went out to the front entrance and looked over the garden. His height gave him an advantage and he soon found who he was looking for.

"Ayura."

The two women conversing quietly together looked up, eyes widening in surprise.

"General Kyo-Ga," Ayura bowed and Tetora quickly followed, eyebrows still up.

"I wondered if you might be interested to... uh..." Kyo-Ga trailed off, his mind once again an unhelpful blank.

Ayura and Tetora looked at him and after a few moments, at each other.

"Continue our discussion on the feasibility of joint training between the tribes?" Ayura finally offered.

"Ah. Exactly," Kyo-Ga agreed in relief. It wasn't at all what he had intended to say and his face felt hot especially when Tetora pressed her lips together in an obvious attempt to hide a smile.

"Do you mind, Tetora?" Ayura asked her friend.

"Oh no, not at all!" Tetora said, waving her hands. Then she chuckled. "Go right ahead, it sounds _fascinating!"_

Kyo-Ga had to clench his jaw tight to avoid something he might later regret as Tetora winked at her friend and walked off.

"General?"

He turned back to Ayura, quickly smoothing out his frown.

"Shall we find a place to sit?"

"I saw some benches over there," Ayura suggested, pointing to a far corner of the garden where there were half a dozen or so large trees.

"Perfect."

\- Chapter End -

**A/N:** Thank you for reading! Please leave a review before you go :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! Enjoy the next chapter :)

\- Chapter Start -

As soon as Tae-Jun and Tetora returned to Hiryuu Castle, Tetora excused herself to look for Lady Lili. Seeing her hurry off, Tae-Jun decided to head back to the room he shared with Kyo-Ga.

The halls were much emptier at this time as most of the guests had retired to get ready for dinner. Tae-Jun only encountered a few servants hurrying past him on last minute errands, hastily bobbing their heads to him in greeting. When he reached his room, he wasn't surprised to find Kyo-Ga, his fastidious older brother, already occupying the bathtub behind the screen, scrubbing himself raw from the sounds of washcloth rasping against skin.

Surely the castle library, managed by the esteemed Advisor Kye-Sook, couldn't possibly have more than a speck of dust in it?

Just how clean did Kyo-Ga intend to get?

Or was he trying to impress someone perhaps?

In the end, Tae-Jun's teasing enquiries were met with frosty silence and a mere fifteen minutes to get ready. He had to hurry to make himself presentable, knowing he would be seeing Princess Yona again.

As soon as he entered the main hall with his mother and brother, the first person he spotted was Tetora, standing beside Ayura. Tetora was wearing a green dress embroidered with sequins that made her look even less like a bodyguard. She had expertly applied colour on her eyelids and lips, and delicate hoops in her ears.

She looked... really pretty. Tae-Jun thought of going over to greet her, but embarrassment at having her treat him to tea earlier kept him where he was.

Advisor Kye-Sook entered a few minutes later to make his announcement about the formal dining room not being able to accommodate everyone. Tetora didn't look too upset though, cheerfully waving to Lady Lili before leaving the hall arm in arm with Ayura.

Tae-Jun's attention was soon diverted when Kye-Sook went to open the double doors, revealing a resplendent King Soo-Won, flanked by Princess Yona and Hak.

\- o -

The dishes served were delicious, but Tae-Jun couldn't remember a thing he had eaten. He spent half his time staring at a radiant Princess Yona who chatted with her guests, her eyes sliding to King Soo-Won and Hak every so often. It only occurred to Tae-Jun halfway the meal that she really shouldn't be giving Hak the same number of smiles as she gave the King... but strangely enough, the latter didn't seem to mind

Now that dinner was over and his mother reunited with her maids, Tae-Jun wandered out to the front entrance and leaned against a pillar. Looking for company didn't sound appealing right now... but neither did going back to his room at this early hour.

"Lord Tae-Jun?"

Startled, he turned to see Tetora smiling at him.

"Tetora."

"Aha, glad to know you still remember my name!"

Tae-Jun frowned.

"I may have been careless with my money earlier, but my memory is actually quite good," he protested.

"I'm sure it is. I was just teasing you," Tetora said with a small laugh.

Tae-Jun gave her a tentative smile.

"I see you've put those cosmetics to good use, although like I said before, you really don't need them."

Tetora blinked at him.

"Are you telling me I wasted my hard earned money?"

"Oh no, you look very nice! But well, you look just as... nice... without..." Tae-Jun trailed off, feeling like he had put a foot in his mouth. Perhaps even both of them.

A hand patted his arm.

"Don't worry, I'll take that as a compliment," Tetora said with a laugh and thankfully for Tae-Jun, changed the subject. "So, are you waiting for the fireworks to start?"

"I... yes. You too? Where's Ayura?"

"Swept off her feet by someone tall and dashing so I'm all alone now," Tetora said with a theatrical sigh, complete with hand at forehead.

Despite his melancholy, Tae-Jun felt a smile tugging at his lips.

"Not for long, I'm sure," he told her.

Tetora shrugged and looked around.

"By the way, this spot really isn't the best place to watch the fireworks," she said, changing the subject again. "The roof is already blocking out half the sky."

"Ah." He hadn't noticed. He probably wouldn't have noticed if someone had picked his pocket. Again.

"Let's go, I'll show you a much better spot."

"Where's that?"

"Just come with me!"

As before, Tetora grabbed his arm and started pulling it.

"But..."

She looked back at at him, her pretty face lit by one of the nearby lamps, wide eyes dancing with excitement.

"But what? Don't you want the best view in this whole palace?"

Tae-Jun found himself smiling. He had a feeling Tetora wouldn't take No for an answer anyway.

"Lead the way," he said.

So she did, pulling him towards the outer staircase that led to the upper balconies of Hiryuu Castle, darting around the few other guests and running up the steps. She didn't stop until they were at the topmost balcony of Hiryuu Castle.

Tae-Jun didn't have the heart to stop her. Or the breath for that matter. Tetora only let go of his arm once they were standing beside the stone balustrade, almost at the exact same spot where he had met Hak yesterday morning.

"So this is... what you... had in mind?" He wheezed, trying not to breathe too loudly.

"Yup!" Tetora didn't seem in the least bit out of breath. Her eyes twinkled as she looked at him, but at least she didn't laugh.

Tae-Jun had to admit she was right. With no roof over them, nothing blocked their view of the sky. Even better, most of the guests were happy enough to crowd the first or second floor balconies so they had this floor almost all to themselves.

They weren't alone of course. There were a dozen other people on this floor, some of them Hiryuu Castle attendants and soldiers who were lucky enough to be off duty at this hour. Tetora also pointed out, with a hand cupped to Tae-Jun's ear, General Joo-Doh and Lady Lili who had claimed one corner of the balcony and were standing very close together. Not to be outdone, Tae-Jun looked around and pointed out another couple, also standing very close to each other at another corner - Advisor Kye-Sook and Min-Soo.

The fireworks started just then and the other couples were forgotten. It was a well thought out display of sound, light and colour, long enough to be entertaining without being too lavish or extravagant.

For the next few minutes, Tae-Jun stood beside Tetora, hands resting on the balustrade as they enjoyed the show, hearing the 'oohs' and 'aahs' of the guests on the floors below them. They were standing close enough for their shoulders and arms to occasionally touch, and Tetora's flowery perfume surrounded them like a soft fragrant veil.

For a few minutes, Tae-Jun was actually... happy.

\- o -

Kyo-Ga had feared that after what he blurted out, he would have to spend the next hour or so discussing joint battle training with Ayura. It wasn't that he truly minded or didn't have anything to say on that topic; he was sure he could say quite a lot. But he didn't want Ayura to think he didn't know anything else. He also didn't need Tetora's rather telling amusement to know it wasn't a terribly exciting topic to discuss with someone he... wanted to get to know better.

There, he had admitted it, if only to himself.

Luckily for him, Ayura started the conversation after they sat down, pointing out Queen Kouren and Neguro, her husband and Five Star General. Kyo-Ga had seen Kouren directing her troops when they battled against Kai Empire to rescue Princess Yona and her friends.

"I saw her in battle last month. She directed her troops like a true leader," he said, recalling how the Xing soldiers had presented a united front, their defenses difficult to penetrate.

"That must have been a sight to see," Ayura commented, sounding almost envious.

"It was. I would be happy to learn from her should such an opportunity arise," Kyo-Ga declared.

"Even though she's a woman?" Ayura asked in surprise.

Kyo-Ga gave a thoughtful frown and nodded.

"My knowledge of battle strategies may be sound, but I haven't garnered much battle experience yet. That was why King Soo-Won invited me to Kuuto City to learn more after my father-"

He broke off abruptly, appalled at his slip of the tongue. Kan Soo-Jin was his beloved father, but he was also a traitor who had attempted a coup d'etat to take over the throne, only to be killed by one of his own soldiers.

"Ah. I meant-" Breaking off again, Kyo-Ga looked down and cursed silently. He tried to think of something else to say, but his mind went blank again.

When a hand touched his, he peered through his bangs.

"His Majesty is a generous and wise man. There's only so much you can learn from books after all," Ayura said. Her dark eyes held understanding, but not pity.

"He is and you are right," he agreed in relief.

When Ayura smiled, he smiled back, feeling a warmth soothe the still raw pain in his heart.

A sudden flare of light caught both of them by surprise, followed a 'boom'. They turned to see a shower of sparks in the sky, excited cries coming from the other guests.

"The fireworks!" They both exclaimed at the same time.

"Would you like to get a better view?" Kyo-Ga asked.

Ayura shook her head and stood up.

"Here is good since there's no one obstructing our view. It's just too bad that this bench faces the other way so we'll have to stand."

Kyo-Ga stood up as well. As the night sky burst into a multitude of colours, accompanied by explosions one after the other, he took a step closer to Ayura. Dark eyes glanced up at him, but she didn't say anything or move away even when his arm brushed hers.

The other guests responded to the fireworks with applause and excited cries, but Kyo-Ga and Ayura stayed silent, content to enjoy each other's company.

\- Chapter End -

**A/N:** Thank you for reading! Please leave a review before you go :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Author Notes:** Hello again, everyone! Enjoy the final chapter :)

\- Chapter Start -

Iguni was _not_ pleased.

It was the day after King Soo-Won and Queen Yona's wedding, and everyone (except for Tae-Jun) had just partaken of a late brunch. Guests were now starting to queue up to bid farewell to the royal couple. As usual, Grand General Hak was with them, standing on Queen Yona's other side.

For some reason or other, Iguni's plans to be introduced to An Lili, and then to her bodyguards had been thwarted. Either Lady Lili was occupied with someone, or her two bodyguards were nowhere to be found, or Kyo-Ga and Tae-Jun were missing.

"Just my luck," Iguni sighed to her maids. "My two sons will die bachelors, I know it!"

"And after we'd come all this way too, milady," One maid commiserated with her.

"But I'm sure we'll find wives for them back home, right?" The other offered encouragement.

The chances of finding two single ladies waiting by the roadside were higher, Iguni wanted to retort, but she held her tongue. With another sigh, she snapped open her fan. Kyo-Ga had gone in search of his absent younger brother so she didn't mind staying at the end of the long queue of guests. To pass the time, she looked around and then she froze.

The Water Tribe entourage were at the head of the queue, no doubt wanting to get an early start home. After bowing to the royal couple, Generals An Joon-Gi and Joo-Doh went off, presumably to get their carriage from the servants. An Lili and her two bodyguards moved to one side to await their return.

Iguni's heart gave a little leap - this was an opportunity not to be missed! She started looking around for her sons.

"Oh, why aren't Kyo-Ga and Tae-Jun here yet?" She fretted.

Her two maids craned their necks and started looking for them as well.

"Oh, milady! Here's General Kyo-Ga now." One of them pointed down the hall behind them.

To Iguni's surprise, Kyo-Ga marched right by her and went over to the Water Tribe group, greeting the three ladies with a bow. Then he turned to Ayura and said something to her. She smiled and nodded, and the two of them walked a few feet away to converse in private.

Iguni's mouth had fallen open so it was a good thing she was already hiding behind her fan. Was that... was that a _smile_ on her always-so-serious son's face?

"Milady, here's Lord Tae-Jun now," her other maid said, drawing her attention.

Indeed, Tae-Jun was just hurrying up from the same hall, looking like he was still suffering the aftereffects of too much sake the night before. He too, breezed past his mother to greet Lili before beckoning to Tetora who smiled and followed him a few feet away where they started talking in low voices. Lili glanced from one couple to the other and smiled, not looking in the least bit surprised.

Iguni's jaw would have fallen to the floor if it could. She blinked rapidly, wondering if she were dreaming. She even pinched her inner arm to make sure.

But she wasn't!

\- o -

For the past hour, the inside of the carriage was quiet. Both Kyo-Ga and Tae-Jun seemed lost in thought as they each stared out a window, watching the scenery roll by, the deep green of the countryside slowly giving way to lighter greens and browns as they made their way up north to Fire Tribe land.

Then Kyo-Ga cleared his throat.

"Mother, I was thinking," he began.

"Yes?" She prompted.

"It's... been some time since we hosted a gathering at Saika Castle, hasn't it?"

Iguni snapped open her fan and hid a smile behind it.

"It has indeed," she agreed.

A tiny worried frown pulled Kyo-Ga's thin eyebrows together.

"You don't think it's too soon? After father..."

Iguni shook her head.

"I think the three of us can stop dwelling in the past from now on," she said firmly. "A dinner party perhaps? What do you think, Tae-Jun?"

Tae-Jun blinked and turned from the window.

"Sounds good," he agreed. "Are we... are we inviting anyone from the other tribes?"

"Of course," Kyo-Ga answered before Iguni could say anything. "His Majesty made it very clear that he wanted greater unity between the Five Tribes."

"Yes, that's right!" Tae-Jun brightened up.

"I expect you to spend less time on farming the iza seeds so that you can help me organise the party," Kyo-Ga told him. He cleared his throat. "I do have someone - I mean, some people to invite."

"Oh? Who are they?" Tae-Jun leaned forward.

"You will find out on that day."

"You just asked me to help organise the party. Doesn't that include sending invitations?" Tae-Jun persisted.

Kyo-Ga cleared his throat again.

"Ah. I will inform you in due time."

"Why the secrecy? It's just a party!"

"You will know later."

"But why not now?"

Leaning back in her seat, Iguni smiled behind her fan. She still didn't quite know her sons had gotten to know Lili's bodyguards, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. It looked like they were both quite capable of looking for romance on their own.

So all she needed to do was plan the wedding date. Perhaps they could even have a double wedding like Queen Kouren and her sister Princess Tao...!

"Milady," one of her maid whispered. "Let's not be too hasty."

"You haven't even met them yet," the other whispered.

Iguni just shook her head.

"A mother's intuition is always good," she replied, "and something tells me these two ladies are the perfect addition to the family."

She was right.

\- o -

Ayura and Tetora soon became frequent guests at Saika Castle and Iguni was more than pleased to see the changes they wrought in her sons. Although Ayura was the more serious of the two, Kyo-Ga was more lighthearted when he was with her. And although Tetora was the livelier one, Tae-Jun was more matured and solemn when he was with her.

Three months later, Kyo-Ga proposed to Ayura and as soon as Tetora heard the news, she proposed to Tae-Jun. Lady Lili gave both her blessings on condition that they visited her often, something they were only too happy to promise.

A month later, General Kyo-Ga of the Fire Tribe was wedded to Ayura, and Lord Tae-Jun to Tetora in a lavish celebration at Saika Castle. Iguni was determined to replace the memories of her less than happy marriage with much happier ones. Dressed in a brand new robes, she smiled happily as the four newlyweds sealed their marriage vows with loving kisses.

Yes, Iguni was very pleased indeed.

\- Story End -

**A/N:** Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it :)


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